New ISO & IEC Approval

Pulsar Instruments Plc., have traditionally manufactured noise measuring equipment mainly intended to be used to allow businesses to meet their obligations under various laws and Directives. The key principle behind Pulsar Instruments units has always been – since 1970 – to produce instruments that are above all simple to use and yet are fully compliant with all relevant codes and standards. However, with the growth of very low cost units from Asia, European production has appeared to become 'uncompetitive'; the main reason for this is that one of the major cost factors in the manufacture of noise measuring equipment is the cost of testing to ensure compliance with the relevant laws and standards.

The International bodies IEC, the International Electro-technical Commission and ISO, the International Standards Organisation, have produced standards for the technical performance, methods of approval as well as standards for quality. Compliance with these standards helps the user ensure that what is measured is correct. To differentiate Pulsar production from the very low cost units that initially appear attractive, Pulsar Instruments Plc now have formal UKAS accredited approval for our quality management system to ISO 9001:2000. As well, one of their more sophisticated units – the Real Time Analyser Model 30 has been “Pattern Approved” to the latest IEC standard IEC 61672. To obtain this approval, instruments were submitted to a European Union National Testing Laboratory and found to be fully compliant with the standard; something none of the very low cost units offer. To ensure that the instruments remain compliant, a rigorous computerised testing regime has been put in place that allows the initial test data to be recalled at any time to demonstrate to any national authority that each individual unit is in compliance. As well it demonstrates that no drift of parameters occurs between the mandated regular annual or bi-annual calibrations – called “Routine Verification” in the IEC standard.

The EU Directive requires that all sound level meters used to check compliance with noise limits, meets or exceeds the requirements of IEC 61672 and these new approvals give confidence to the user that Pulsar Instruments meters meet these requirements.